Appendix 1: Glossary of supporting terms

Term

Source

Definition

Explanatory notes / comments

Above-ground biomass

IPCC 2006 GL FRA 2005

All living biomass above the soil including
stem, stump, branches, bark, seeds and foliage.

1. Where the forest understorey is a relatively
small component of the above-ground biomass, it is acceptable to exclude
it, provided this is done in a consistent manner throughout the inventory
time series.

Above-ground biomass growth

IPCC 2006 GL

Oven-dry weight of net annual increment (s.b)
of a tree, stand or forest plus oven-dry weight of annual growth of branches,
twigs, foliage, top and stump. The term “growth” is used here
instead of “increment”, since the latter term tends to be
understood in terms of merchantable volume.

above-ground biomass removals

Agroforestry

ICRAFFAO

Agroforestry is a collective name for land-use
systems and practices where woody perennials are deliberately integrated
with crops and/or animals on the same land management unit. The integration
can be either in spatial mixture or temporal sequence. There are normally
both ecological and economic interactions between the woody and non-woody
components in agroforestry.

Avoided Deforestation

To be defined

Below-ground biomass

IPCC 2006 GL FRA 2005

All living biomass of live roots. Fine roots
of less than (suggested) 2mm diameter are sometimes excluded because these
often cannot be distinguished empirically from soil organic matter or
litter.

1. May include the below-ground part of the
stump.2. The country may use another threshold value than 2 mm for fine
roots, but in such a case the threshold value used must be documented.

Below-ground biomass growth

IPCC 2006 GL

growth in below-ground biomass including coarse
roots and root collar.

Living plant and animal material both above-ground
and below-ground (s.a.) usually expressed as dry weight.

Biomass literally means living matter, but
the term is also used for any organic material derived from plant and
animal tissue. In the context of bio-energy, biomass is any material of
biological origin excluding material embedded in geological formations
and transformed to fossil.

Biomass conversion and expansion factor (bcef)

IPCC 2006 GL

A multiplication factor that converts merchantable
volume of growing stock, merchantable volume of net annual increment or
merchantable volume of wood-and fuelwood removals to above-ground biomass,
above-ground biomass growth or biomass removals, respectively. Biomass
conversion and expansion factors for growing stock ( BCEFS),
for net annual increment (BCEFI) and for wood- and fuelwood
removal (BCEFR) usually differ. As used in these guidelines,
they account for above-ground components only. For more detail see box
4.2.

Biomass expansion factor (BEF)

IPCC 2006 GL

A multiplication factor that expands the dry-weight
of growing stock biomass, increment biomass, and biomass
of wood- or fuelwood removals to account for non-merchantable or
non-commercial biomass components, such as stump, branches, twigs, foliage,
and, sometimes, non-commercial trees. Biomass expansion factors usually
differ for growing stock (BEFS), net annual increment (BEFI)
and wood- and fuelwood removals (BEFR). As used in these guidelines,
biomass expansion factors account for above-ground components only. For
more detail see box 4.2.

Biomass removals

IPCC 2006 GL

Biomass of wood- and firewood removals (s.b.)
plus oven-dry weight of branches, twigs, foliage of the trees or stands
removed.

for most purposes identical to above-ground
biomass removals; in rare cases including below-ground biomass removals
where all or parts of the root system is removed

Carbon stock

FRA 2005

The quantity of carbon in a “pool”, meaning a reservoir or
system which has the capacity to accumulate or release carbon.

Formations where trees in the various stories
and the undergrowth cover a high proportion of the ground (>40%).

Crown cover/Canopy cover

IPCC 2006 GL

The percentage of the ground covered by a vertical
projection of the outermost perimeter of the natural spread of the foliage.
Cannot exceed 100%.

Dead wood

IPCC 2006 GL

Includes volume of all non-living wood not contained
in the litter, either standing, lying on the ground, or in the soil. Dead
wood includes wood lying on the surface, dead roots, and stumps larger than
or equal to 10 cm in diameter or any other diameter used by the country.
. Includes dead roots to usually 2mm diameter.

Devegetation

IPCC, 2003a

A direct human-induced long-term loss of at least Y % of vegetation since
time T on vegetation types other than forest. Vegetation types consist
of a minimum area of land of Z ha with foliar cover of W%

IPCC Definitions and methodological options to
inventory emissions from … and devegetation..

Disturbance

FAO, 2006.

An environmental fluctuation and destructive
event that affects forest health, structure, and/or changes resource or
physical environment at any spatial or temporal scale. Include biotic agents
such as insects and diseases and abiotic agents such as fire, pollution
and extreme weather conditions

Forest area loss

to be defined

synonym: net loss of forest area

Forest fallow systems

FRA 2005

Areas of shifting agriculture where forest, forest fallows and agricultural
land appear in a dynamic pattern where deforestation and the return of
forest occur in small patches.

FRA: deforestation explanatory note 3.

FRA 2000

Short fallow: Agricultural area with short fallow periods

FRA 2000

long fallow: Forest affected by shifting cultivation

Forest improvement

IPCC 2006 GL FRA 2005

Changes within the forest which positively affect the structure or function
of the stand or site, and thereby increase the capacity to supply products
and/or services.

Forest/other wooded land of introduced species
and in some cases native species, established through planting or seeding.

1. Includes all stands of introduced species
established through planting or seeding.2. May include areas of native species
characterized by few species, even spacing and/or even-aged stands3. Plantation
forest is a sub-set of planted forest.

Forest rehabilitation

ITTO

Forest rehabilitation: a management strategy
applied on degraded forest land that aims at restoring the capacity of a
forest to produce products and services.

ITTO Guidelines for the restoration, management,
and rehabilitation of degraded and secondary tropical forests (ITTO, 2005)

Forest restoration

ITTO

Forest restoration: A management strategy
applied in degraded primary forest areas. Forest restoration aims to restore
the forest to its state before degradation (same function, structure and
composition).

ITTO Guidelines for the restoration, management,
and rehabilitation of degraded and secondary tropical forests (ITTO, 2005)

Fragmented Forests

CBD/SBSTA 2001

Forest fragmentation refers to any process that
result in the conversion of formerly continuous forest into patches of forest
separated by non-forested lands.

Gross deforestation

best not used

imperils core definition of deforestation

Growing Stock

FRA 2005IPCC 2006 GL

Volume over bark of all living trees more than
X cm in diameter at breast height. Includes the stem from ground level or
stump height up to a top diameter of Y cm, and may also include branches
to a minimum diameter of W cm.

1. The countries must indicate the three thresholds
(X, Y, W in cm) and the parts of the tree that are not included in the volume.
The countries must also indicate whether the reported figures refer to volume
above ground or above stump.2. The diameter is measured at 30 cm above the
end of the buttresses if these are higher than 1 metre.3. Includes windfallen
living trees.4. Excludes: Smaller branches, twigs, foliage, flowers, seeds,
and roots.

Increment biomass

IPCC 2006 GL

Oven-dry weight of merchantable) net annual increment
of a tree, stand or forest

Litter

IPCC, 2006

Includes all non-living biomass with a diameter
less than a minimum diameter chosen by the country (for example 10 cm),
lying dead, in various states of decomposition above the mineral or organic
soil. This includes litter, fumic, and humic layers. Live fine roots (of
less than the suggested diameter limit for below-ground biomass) are included
in litter where they cannot be distinguished from it empirically.

Lumber recovery factor

FAO, 2004

Volume of sawn products produced from delivered
log volume and expresses as %

Managed Forest

FRA 2005

Forest and other wooded land that is managed
in accordance with a formal or an informal plan applied regularly over a
sufficiently long period (five years or more).

The definition was adapted to the different needs
of each world region. See: Area under forest management plan in 2000, pages
373-374 of the reference below.(FAO. 2001. Global Forest Resources Assessment
FRA 2000 – Main report. Rome)

IPCC 2006 GL

A managed forest is a forest subject to forest
management: Forest managementA system of practices for stewardship and use
of forest land aimed at fulfilling relevant ecological (including biological
diversity), economic and social functions of the forest in a sustainable
manner.

Merchantable volume

Helms, J.A. Dictionary of Forestry.1998

Volume of a bole or stem suitable for sale

Modified natural Forest

FRA 2005

Forest/Other wooded land of naturally regenerated
native species where there are clearly visible indications of human activities.

1. Includes, but is not limited to: selectively
logged-over areas, areas naturally regenerating following agricultural land
use, areas recovering from human-induced fires, etc.2. Includes areas where
it is not possible to distinguish whether the regeneration has been natural
or assisted.

Mortality

IPCC, 2006

Trees dying naturally from competition in the
stem-exclusion stage of a stand or forest. As used here mortality does not
include losses due to disturbances.

Natural expansion of forest

FRA 2005

Expansion of forests through natural succession
on land that, until then, was under another land use (e.g. forest succession
on land previously used for agriculture). Implies a transformation from
non-forest to forest.

A forest composed of indigenous trees and not
classified as a forest plantation.

Natural regeneration

FRA 2005

Assisted natural regeneration: Natural
regeneration of forest/other wooded land with deliberate human intervention
aimed at enhancing the ability of desired species to regenerate1. Interventions
may include removal of external pressures, such as weeds and biotic interference;
the application of controlled disturbances to trigger germination of native
species such as mosaic and or ecological burns; or the preparation of the
germination sitee.g. through scarification.2. The source of seed or vegetative
reproduction is limited to the site and its immediate surroundings and may
comprise both native and introduced species.

IPCC 2006 GL

Natural regeneration: Re-establishment
of a forest stand by natural means, i.e. by natural seeding or vegetative
regeneration. It may be assisted by human intervention, e.g. by scarification
of the soil or fencing to protect against wildlife or domestic animal grazing.

Net annual increment

IPCC 2006 GL

Average annual volume of gross increment over
the given reference period minus mortality (s.a.), of all trees to a specified
minimum diameter at breast height. As used here, it is not net of losses
due to disturbances (s.a.).

Net deforestation

best not used

imperils core definition of deforestation

Net forest area change

FAO 2006

Sum of all negative changes due to deforestation
and natural disasters and all positive changes due to afforestation and
natural expansion of forests

includes areas classifies under the sub-category
Other land with tree cover

Other land with tree cover

FRA 2005

Land classified as Other land, spanning more
than 0.5 hectares with a canopy cover of more than 10 percent of trees able
to reach a height of 5 metres at maturity.

1. Includes groups of trees and scattered trees
in agricultural landscapes, parks, gardens and around buildings, provided
that the area, height and canopy cover criteria are met.2. Includes tree
plantations established mainly for other purposes than wood, such as fruit
orchards.

Other wooded land

FRA 2005

Land not classified as Forest, spanning more
than 0.5 hectares; with trees higher than 5 metres and a canopy cover of
5-10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ; or with a
combined cover of shrubs, bushes and trees above 10 percent. It does not
include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use.

Planted forest

FRA 2005

Forest/other wooded land in which trees have
been established through planting or seeding.

Includes all stands established through planting
or seeding of both native and introduced species.

Primary Forest

FRA 2005 IPCC 2006 GL

Forest/Other wooded land of native species, where
there are no clearly visible indications of human activities and the ecological
processes are not significantly disturbed.

Includes areas where collection of non-wood forest
products occurs, provided the human impact is small. Some trees may have
been removed.

Reduced Impact Logging

FAO,2004.

Intensively planned and carefully controlled
implementation of harvesting operations to minimize the impact on forest
stands and soils usually in individual tree selection cutting

Reforestation

FAO 2005

Establishment of forest plantations on temporarily
unstocked lands that are considered as forests

removals

see wood removals

removals biomass

IPCC, 2007

Oven dry weight of wood removals.

Secondary forest

FRA 2005 IPCC 2006 GL

Forest regenerated largely through natural processes
after significant human or natural disturbance of the original forest vegetation.

1. The disturbance may have occurred at a single
point in time or over an extended period;2. The forest may display significant
differences in structure and/or canopy species composition in relation to
nearby primary forest on similar sites.

Selective felling

Helms, J.A. Dictionary of Forestry.1998

A felling that removes only a selected portion
of the trees in a standSynonymous: selective cutting, selective
harvesting

Semi-natural Forest

FRA 2005

Forest/ other wooded land of native species,
established through planting, seeding or assisted natural regeneration.

1. Includes areas under intensive management
where native species are used and deliberate efforts are made to increase
/optimize the proportion of desirable species, thus leading to changes in
the structure and composition of the forest.2. Naturally regenerated trees
from other species than those planted/seeded may be present.3. May include
areas with naturally regenerated trees of introduced species.4. Includes
areas under intensive management where deliberate efforts, such as thinning
or fertilizing, are made to improve or optimise desirable functions of the
forest. These efforts may lead to changes in the structure and composition
of the forest.

Shelterwood cutting

Helms, J.A. Dictionary of Forestry.1998

Cutting of most trees, leaving those needed to
produce sufficient shade to produce a new age –class

Shrub

IPCC 2006 GL FRA 2005

Vegetation types where the dominant woody elements
are shrubs i.e. woody perennial plants, generally more than 0.5 metres and
less than 5 metres in height at maturity and without a definite crown.

The height limits for trees and shrubs should
be interpreted with flexibility, particularly the minimum tree and maximum
shrub height, which may vary between 5 meters and 7 meters.

Soil organic matter

IPCC, 2006

Includes organic matter in mineral and organic
soils (including peat) to a specified depth chosen by the country and applied
consistently through the time series. Live fine roots (of less than the
suggested diameter limit for below-ground biomass) are included with soil
organic matter where they cannot be distinguished from it empirically.

A woody perennial with a single main stem, or
in the case of coppice with several stems, having a more or less definite
crown.

1. Includes bamboos, palms, and other woody plants
meeting the above criteria.

Urban forest

Urban forestry is the management of trees for
their contribution to the physiological, sociological, and economic well-being
of urban society. Urban forestry deals with woodlands, groups of trees,
and individual trees, where people live – it is multifaceted, for
urban areas include a great variety of habitats (streets, parks, derelict
corners, etc) where trees bestow a great variety of benefits and problems.”
Denne, pers. comm.The art, science, and technology of managing trees and
forest resources in and around urban community ecosystems for the physiological,
sociological, economic and aesthetic benefits that trees provide society”

Grey and Deneke, 1986 Helms, J.A. (Ed.). 1998.
The Dictionary of Forestry. Society of American Foresters)

Wood removal

FRA 2005IPCC 2006 GL

The wood removed (volume of round wood over bark)
for production of goods and services other than energy production (fuelwood
removal).

The term removal differs from fellings as it
excludes felled trees left in the forest. Includes removal from fellings
of an earlier period and from trees killed or damaged by natural causes.
Includes removal by local people or owners for their own use.